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Patrick Hearn

Patrick Hearn

Mobile Writer

Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a smart or connected device, he has probably been hands-on with it or at least written about the product at some point.

Patrick also has bylines at CNET, Progressive, Xfinity, GameSpot, Online Tech Tips, and a number of other publications. When not working on the latest smart tech, he spends his time writing a sci-fi/fantasy fiction series.

A vampire appears in The Blood of the Dawnwalker.

Former Witcher and Cyberpunk devs unite to create The Blood of Dawnwalker

Rebel Wolves, a studio made up of former Witcher and Cyberpunk developers, has announced a new gothic fantasy RPG: The Blood of Dawnwalker.
Gaming News
A character blasting fire in Path of Exile 2.

Think Path of Exile 2 is too hard? Its devs want you to get good

Path of Exile 2 has a punishing endgame — and while devs say they're working to balance the difficulty, it isn't going to get much easier.
Gaming News
Someone holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, showing the back of the phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim may not be released until May

Samsung might tease the Galaxy S25 Slim at its Unpacked event later this month, but the phone might not be available until May.
Mobile News
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra's screen.

New video teases the Samsung Galaxy S25’s big AI upgrades

Samsung has teased unexpectedly-advanced AI features for the Galaxy S25 series, depicting an assistant taking multiple complex requests at once.
Mobile News
A person holding the OnePlus 13, showing the wireless charging insert in the camera cutout.

How many software updates does the OnePlus 13 get?

The OnePlus 13 will receive a total of four OS updates and six years of security patches, ensuring it will be a safe and viable handset for years to come.
Mobile Guides
pokemon go

Pokémon Go is ending support for certain older Android phones

Pokémon Go is dropping support for 32-bit Android phones. Here's how to tell if you're affected.
Gaming News
The Action button on the iPhone 16.

How thin will the iPhone 17 Air be? A new report might have the answer

We've heard plenty of rumors about the iPhone 17 Air and its wild thinness. A new report claims to know just how thin it is, and it's impressive.
Mobile News
Godfall player in combat.

3 game studios are closing their doors, including the developer of Godfall

Three game studios have reported closures already in 2025, along with numerous layoffs across the industry.
Gaming News
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 on someone's wrist.

High blood pressure monitoring may finally come to the Apple Watch in 2025

Mark Gurman has suggested the next iteration of Apple Watch and Apple Watch Ultra could come with blood pressure sensors, a long-awaited feature.
Mobile News
The iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island showing the timer and music playing.

It’s 2025, and the iPhone still has an annoying alarm bug

If your iPhone alarm doesn't always ring, you aren't alone. Dozens of users have reported the problem, but Apple hasn't issued a fix.
Mobile News
A side view of the OnePlus Open.

Forget the Galaxy S25 Slim. The OnePlus Open 2 could be the thinnest foldable ever

According to tipster Digital Chat Station, the OnePlus Open 2 could be the thinnest folding phone ever made — and it could sport a titanium frame.
Mobile News
A screenshot from Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition.

Neverwinter Nights just received a new update, 23 years after its original release

Neverwinter Nights, the beloved BioWare DnD RPG, is still receiving updates 23 years after its original release.
Gaming News
A screenshot of a plane in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Microsoft Flight Sim might come to PS5 and Switch 2

A tipster with a proven track record suggests two major Xbox titles could make their way to PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2.
Gaming News
The Nokia G42 in grey.

All Nokia smartphones have been listed as unavailable on HMD’s website

All Nokia phones have been marked as unavailable on HMD's website, indicating the end of the company's presence in the smartphone market.
Mobile News
The Roborock Z70 with its arm extended.

The best robot vacuums of CES 2025: Roborock, Dreame, Ecovacs, and more

CES 2025 was a smorgasbord of robot vacuums and mops, and these five stood out the most thanks to advanced technology and interesting innovations.
Smart Home News
BrainCo Dexus prosthetic arm

Health care experts believe regenerative medicine has reached an ‘inflection point’

The CEO of Xenco Medical and the general manager of Terumo BCT discussed the future of regenerative medicine, and how we've arrived at where we are.
Emerging Tech News
Half-Life 2

Half-Life 3 detectives think they’ve found new clues in Steam’s code

More evidence has emerged that Half-Life 3 might actually exist somewhere in the ether, after all — but don't get too excited yet.
Gaming News
A Switch 2 mock-up sits in a Genki case.

Nintendo downplays CES’ convincing Nintendo Switch 2 leak

Nintendo has finally spoken up about the supposed Switch 2 leaks and insists none of the renders or images are official.
Gaming News
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Gray with S Pen on back.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra may get an unfortunate S Pen downgrade

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra might lose Bluetooth in its S Pen, which means many of the pen's best features are kaput.
Mobile News
The Schlage Sense Pro on a wooden door.

The Schlage Sense Pro only unlocks the door when you want it to

The Schlage Sense Pro can read your intent as you approach the door, unlocking only when you plan to go inside.
Smart Home News
The Plantaform Smart Indoor Garden.

The PlantaForm Indoor Smart Garden looks like it belongs aboard the Enterprise

Smart gardens have come a long way in a short time, and the PlantaForm Indoor Smart Garden is one of the best implementations of the technology we've seen.
Smart Home News
the dreame z1 pro robotic pool cleaner takes hassle out of maintenance img 6328

The Dreame Z1 Pro Robotic Pool Cleaner takes the hassle out of pool maintenance

Dreame made a splash at CES 2025 with one of the most impressive robotic pool cleaners we've ever seen, alongside several new vacuums.
Smart Home News
jackerys new solar panels are indistinguishable from your roof jwholehome

Jackery’s new solar panels are indistinguishable from your roof

Jackery's debut whole-home energy system at CES 2025 is a huge step forward for consumer-grade solar energy.
Smart Home News
jackery explorer 3000v2 bigger better solar generator

The Jackery Explorer 3000v2 is a bigger, better solar generator and power bank

The Jackery Explorer 3000v2 improves upon nearly every aspect of its previous generation, with new features and faster charging.
Smart Home News
Dreame X50 Ultra

The Dreame X50 Ultra robot vacuum can hop over small obstacles with ease

The Dreame X50 Ultra robot vacuum can't quite climb stairs, but it gets a lot closer than anything before it.
Smart Home News
The Roborock Z70 with its arm extended.

Roborock’s new smart vacuums will pick up your socks for you

Roborock's new line of robovacs bring a long-missing feature: the ability to pick up obstacles in the vacuum's path.
Smart Home News
Google Assistant listening on the Google Pixel Watch.

Google Assistant may not be on Wear OS smartwatches much longer

Google Gemini could replace Google Assistant on Wear OS devices, according to lines of code found in the latest beta.
Mobile News
An image of the back of an iPhone 16.

The iPhone 17 may get one of the biggest design changes in five years

The iPhone 17 could return to the gently-curved sides of the original iPhone, rather than the straight edges of the iPhone 16.
Mobile News
Mass Effect: Andromeda review

The next Mass Effect might bring back the original morality system

The franchise director of Mass Effect suggests the next game will recapture much of what made the original so impactful but gives little detail about how.
Gaming News
The Belkin Stage PowerGrip attached to an iPhone.

This new Belkin accessory transforms your iPhone into a digital camera

Belkin has announced a lineup of accessories at CES 2025, including a grip that adds a camera button and a 10,000mAh battery to your iPhone.
Mobile News
fallout-new-vegas-lonesome-road

This new melee combat mod will have you booting up Fallout: New Vegas again

The Close Quarters Combat Mod for Fallout: New Vegas overhauls hand-to-hand combat and adds another layer of challenge to the game.
Gaming News
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Leaked photos of the Galaxy S25 Ultra confirm razor-thin bezels

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will have more rounded corners and thinner bezels than its predecessor, according to a new picture.
Mobile News
A cherry grove in Minecraft.

Block-breaking news: Notch teases a spiritual successor to Minecraft

Markus "Notch" Persson said on X that he "basically announced" Minecraft 2, but it might look a bit different than you expect.
Gaming News
Togepi, Pikachu and Eevee in a field

Pokémon Go’s Community Days are getting a price hike

Pokémon Go's Community Days are doubling in price, but additional perks have been added to help offset the cost.
Gaming News
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